The invention is related to barbeque grills. More particularly the invention is directed to large outdoor grills of the type which optionally may have a hood covering over a firebox containing a grill with a heat source below. More specifically, the invention is directed to providing a clean out door for such large outdoor barbeque grills and a cooperative grill assembly.
Large outdoor cooking devices, particularly those used commercially by caterers, private clubs and organizations sponsoring picnics and the like, utilize a heat source typically charcoal, wood, or mesquite that is burned on a fire grate supported within a firebox, or may use gas burners. This type of device is generally shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,335. The construction of the firebox in that device, and in fireboxes of other prior art devices incorporates a heavy gauge metal rectangular box formed to have a bottom wall, two end walls and two longer side walls. Once these large scale barbeque devices are in use at picnics, social gatherings and the like, constant and high quantity barbequing usually is required in order to prepare food for many people. As the barbequing continues and new charcoal, mesquite, wood, or the like, is added atop the fire grate, the ashes and food particle drippings collect on the bottom of the fire box and are cleaned out by lifting the grill and fire grate to scoop out this waste material. This usually requires disturbing food atop the grill and the heat source located on the fire grate.
It would accordingly be desirable to provide for cleaning out the bottom of the firebox without interrupting barbequing procedures.
Other clean out procedures have been utilized such as in the closable disk vents provided in WEBER-brand barbeque kettles that allow for the ash and any carbonized food particles to be pushed through disk openings onto a collecting trough supported by the kettle legs in a known manner. This procedure also requires a clean out from above the grate by the cook's hands and a disturbance of the cooking food and burning coals on the fire grate. Therefore, in order to clean out by means of this type of bottom clean out, typically one must wait until the food has been prepared and the coals have cooled in order that the user may reach into the kettle to clean out the kettle bottom and the fire grate.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide for a clean out means that may be operated during cooking, without disturbing food, or coals.
It is accordingly a goal of the invention to provide such a clean out door that may be used to clean out the bottom of a fire box while the cooking procedures with combusting coals continue.
It is further a goal of the invention to provide for a clean out from the end of a barbeque grill that is pivotally arranged on the firebox having continuous contact maintained between the clean out and the firebox in order to prevent heated coals, ashes, food droppings, etc., from falling out of the firebox when closed.
Outdoor barbeque devices usually provide for nickel plated grills upon which food items such as bratwurst, hotdogs, hamburgers, shish-ka-bobs, vegetables and the like, are placed. Handles are typically provided to extend outwardly of the firebox so that the entire grill may be safely lifted from the grill. As in my issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,335, a slant adjustable grill utilizing grill support panels extending upwardly from the firebox end walls is provided for adjustment of the grill handles thereon and wherein the hood is provided with pairs of apertures for the arms of the grill handles to extend outwardly. Although that invention is very useful, there has also been a need to provide for an adjustment for a grill that does not require grill support panels associating with the firebox end walls for support of the handles above the firebox.
It has also become a goal to eliminate dual openings at both ends of the hood that provide for the outward extension of two arms of a handle, each of which engage separate support panels as in my said Pat. No. 4,592,335. In this regard, it would be desirable to provide only a single grill arm extending outwardly through just one aperture at the end of a hood and wherein the grill support members may consist of leg means engageable with multi-position grill supports residing substantially entirely within and not above the firebox. It is also therefore a goal to provide such grill adjustment means that further eliminates attaching grill support panel means, and the like, to firebox end walls so that a closable clean out door may be provided whereby the grill may be maintained in its position without the need to disengage it from grill supports to clean out the firebox or grate.
It is also an object of the invention to provide for an adjustable grill assembly having grill supports entirely within the firebox whereby the grill adjustable assembly is cooperative with clean out end walls, or doors, that are independently operable so that clean out procedures or the adjustment of the grill are independent and may be undertaken simultaneously or separately.
It is further a concomitant goal of the invention to provide for the combination of a clean out for the firebox of a barbeque grill and an adjustable grill that is adjustable not only vertically, but also may be slant adjustable to dispose the opposite edges of the grill higher or lower relative to the other for gradient heating of food stuffs thereon.
It is also an allied goal of the invention to provide for grill adjustment from the exterior while the hood is closed.
It is a related goal of the invention to provide for the adjustment of a grill in combination with a clean out door for a barbeque grill of the type having a two-shell "bread-box" type hood, wherein front and rear shell sections are relatively pivotal to one another and cooperatively provide end slots for the arms of the grill. The slots would thereby permit the adjustment of the grill when the "bread-box" hood is closed, and at the same time offers the capability of pivoting open either the front or back hood shell without interference to the grill position or operation of the clean out means.